Device for measuring the running parameters of a bicycle

1. A device for measuring running parameters of a bicycle including: a sensor capable of reacting to a revolution of a rotationally movable member through a change of state and operating according to a cycle of changes of state, the sensor being adapted to be mounted on a rotatable member of the bicycle; a transmission circuit having an antenna, the transmission circuit adapted to receive a signal from said sensor; a reception circuit having an antenna; wherein the transmission circuit has a circuit for calculating a value of the running parameter based on the signal received from the sensor, a transmitter connected to the antenna of the transmission circuit to transmit said value to the reception circuit and an optimization circuit for activating the transmission of the transmitter at moments independent of a periodicity of changes of state of the sensor.

2. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the optimization circuit has an orientation circuit determining at least one optimum moment of transmission during the period of a cycle of change of the state of the sensor.

3. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the orientation circuit calculates the optimum moment based on a moment of change of state of the sensor and a fraction of a period of a cycle of change of state determined by extrapolation over the period of one or several preceding cycles of change of state.

4. A device according to claim 2 , wherein the optimization circuit has a clock circuit that sends a periodic signal.

5. A device according to claim 4 , wherein the clock circuit has a period of between 2 and 5 seconds.

6. A device according to claim 3 , wherein the optimization circuit has a circuit for controlling the transmitter which determines an optimum moment of transmission as being a first optimum moment following a periodic signal of the clock circuit and which activates the transmitter at said optimum moment.

7. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a Reed relay placed against a long compartment in which a magnet is housed.

8. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the calculation circuit has a digital conversion circuit.

9. A device according to claim 4 , wherein the circuit for calculating a value of the operating parameter has a smoothing circuit operating over a period equal to the periodic signal of the clock circuit.

10. Bicycle having a frame, two wheels, a handlebar, a bottom bracket, wherein the bicycle is equipped with a device according to claim 1 , with a transmitter circuit mounted on the portion of the bottom bracket and/or of one of the two wheels that is rotationally movable.

11. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the optimization circuit activates the transmission of the transmitter during rotation of said rotationally movable member.

12. A device according to claim 1 , further comprising a transmitter casing, wherein the transmission circuit is housed within the transmitter casing, and wherein transmissions from said transmission circuit activated by the optimization circuit and emitted from said transmitter casing are transmitted at moments during rotation of said rotationally movable member independent of the periodicity of changes of state of the sensor.

13. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate the transmission of the transmitter at a rate of less than once per cycle of changes of state of the sensor.

14. A device according to claim 1 , wherein the optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate the transmission of the transmitter at a rate of less than once per revolution of the rotationally movable member.

15. A device for measuring operating parameters of a bicycle comprising: a sensor having a first state and a second state and being adapted to be affixed to a rotationally movable member of the bicycle, said sensor being constructed to change from said first state to said second state and to return to said first state in response to rotational movement of said rotationally movable member; a transmission circuit connected to said sensor to receive a signal from said sensor; a reception circuit; said transmission circuit comprising: a calculating circuit for calculating a value representative of a measured operating parameter of the bicycle based upon a signal received from said sensor; a transmitting antenna; a transmitter connected to said transmitting antenna for transmitting a signal representative of said calculated value to said reception circuit; an optimization circuit for activating said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at moments independent of a periodicity of changes of state of said sensor.

16. A device according to claim 15 , wherein: said change of said sensor from said first state to said second state and return to said first state is one cycle of changes of state of said sensor; said optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a rate of less than once per cycle of changes of state of said sensor.

17. A device according to claim 15 , wherein: said optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a rate of less than once per revolution of the rotationally movable member.

18. A device according to claim 15 , wherein: one of the operating parameters is speed of the bicycle; said rotational movable member is a wheel of the bicycle, said speed of the bicycle being calculated with reference to rotational speed of the wheel of the bicycle; said optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a rate of less than once per revolution of the wheel of the bicycle.

19. A device according to claim 15 , wherein: said optimization circuit activates said transmitting of said transmitting antenna during rotation of said rotationally movable member.

20. A device according to claim 15 , further comprising: a transmitter casing, said transmission circuit being housed within said transmitter casing; wherein transmissions from said transmission circuit activated by said optimization circuit are emitted from said transmitter casing at moments during rotation of said rotationally movable member independent of the periodicity of changes of state of said sensor.

21. A device according to claim 15 , wherein: said optimization circuit comprises an orientation circuit for determining optimum moments of transmitting of signals by said transmitting antenna based upon an orientation of said transmitting antenna.

22. A wireless transmitting/receiving device for measuring at least one operating parameter of a bicycle, said device comprising: a transmitter casing adapted to be mounted on a rotatable member of the bicycle; a receiver casing having a display unit for displaying at least said operating parameter of the bicycle, said receiver being adapted to be mounted on the bicycle for observation of the display unit by a rider of the bicycle; a sensor for sending periodic signals in reaction to, and at a frequency equal to, a rotational frequency of the rotatable member; within said receiver casing, said device further comprises a receiver circuit; within said transmitter casing, said device further comprises: a transmission circuit connected to said sensor for receiving said signal sent by said sensor, said transmission circuit comprising: a calculator circuit for calculating a value representative of a measured operating parameter of the bicycle based upon said signal of said sensor; a transmitting antenna; a transmitter connected to said transmitting antenna for transmitting a signal representative of said calculated value to said receiver circuit within said receiver casing; an optimization circuit for activating said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a frequency different from the rotational frequency of the rotatable member.

23. A wireless transmitting/receiving device according to claim 22 , wherein: said optimization circuit activates said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a frequency less than the rotational frequency of the rotatable member.

24. A wireless transmitting/receiving device according to claim 22 , wherein: said sensor is positioned within said transmitter casing.

25. A wireless transmitting/receiving device according to claim 22 , wherein said optimization circuit comprises: a transmitter controller for controlling activation of said transmitter; a clock circuit for sending a periodic signal to said transmitter controller, said periodic signal being sent at a frequency equal to a predetermined frequency for refreshing a value displayed by said display unit of said receiver casing.

26. A wireless transmitting/receiving device according to claim 25 , wherein: said optimization circuit comprises an orientation circuit for determining optimum moments of transmitting of signals by said transmitting antenna based upon an orientation of said transmitting antenna.

27. A wireless transmitting/receiving device according to claim 22 , wherein: said optimization circuit is a power conservation circuit adapted to activate said transmitting of said transmitting antenna at a frequency of less than once per revolution of the rotatable member.

28. A wireless transmitting/receiving device for measuring at least one operating parameter of a bicycle, said device comprising: a transmitter casing adapted to be mounted on a rotatable member of the bicycle; a receiver casing having a display unit for displaying at least said operating parameter of the bicycle, said receiver being adapted to be mounted on the bicycle for observation of the display unit by a rider of the bicycle; a sensor for sending periodic signals in reaction to, and at a frequency equal to, a rotational frequency of the rotatable member; within said receiver casing, said device further comprises a receiver circuit; within said transmitter casing, said device further comprises a transmission circuit connected to said sensor for receiving said signal sent by said sensor, said transmission circuit comprising means for emitting signals from said transmitter casing to said receiver circuit at a rate differing from the rotational frequency of the rotatable member.